January Newsletter from Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome
Elizabeth Minchilli
EATING MY WAY THROUGH ITALY
January 2020 Newsletter
If my newsletter is a few days late, know it was for a very good reason. I was too busy relaxing. Seriously. I was getting a massage. Or a facial. Or just floating in a thermal pool. While most of the time I’m very much on schedule with all my work, January is definitely the time of year I power down.
While we usually stay in for New Year’s, this year I made the executive decision to head to a spa. This was in no way a scouting trip for future tours I might lead or books I might write. I wasn't even updating my app. This was vacation, pure and simple.
So, while I should have been writing this newsletter, I was busy having a scrub. Actually, while the entire experience was completely luxurious and relaxing, one of the best parts was locking my phone in the safe for almost the entire day. It’s rare today to not be in constant contact with the world and with work. But tuning out is as therapeutic as any reflexology foot massage.
As we head into January I’ve got a few other ‘self care’ kind of projects in mind. (let’s see if I stick to them!). Since I eat for a living most of the year, January is usually the time I try out some new way of eating less. This year I’m test driving ‘intermittent fasting.’ Which actually sounds scarier than it is. Basically it’s giving up breakfast. So far? I’m on day 1, it’s 10:30am and so far so good. Wish me luck! Also? Don’t expect to see any martini shots this month. Sorry. It’s also dry January because that seems like a good idea too.
And since January / February is the time of year I spend more time at home I’ve decided to try to do a massive clean up of our storage spaces. Does anyone else have those kind of spaces where they have absolutely no idea what is lurking in the back? If so, send help! I am pretty sure it’s time I got rid of the back pack I used while Eurailpassing around Europe in the 80’s, right?
What's New
I love this time of year, since it’s the time I dedicate to planning new trips and tours. Here’s what I’m working on for 2021 (yes, I work that far in advance!). The big news is that we’re retiring our Rome tours for the moment. The fact is that cities like Rome, Florence and Venice are way overcrowded with tourists, and I just can’t in good conscious add to this problem. So this March will see our last Week in Rome tour. If you do want to come to Rome on your own, you should, of course, and I’ve got lots of resources to help you out, like my book Eating Rome and my app Eat Italy.
More big news is that I’m currently working on a tour to Abruzzo, which will be a bit different than my other tours. We’ll be based in a small village (see my travel section below!) and spend as much time in the village itself as driving around this gorgeous region. In addition to food (there will always be food) we’ll be hiking, as well as exploring traditional crafts like ceramics, weaving and of course bread making and cooking. Stay tuned for details!
I”m also talking with a friend about collaborating on a pasta focussed week in the area around Parma. Does hanging out with nonnas making pasta sound like a dream come true to you? Me too! (here are some videos to get you in the mood.)
And now for the bad news. For 2020 we are already pretty much booked up! There are only a few spaces left for our Spring trips to Umbria and Puglia. If I do add another trip in the fall, you’ll be the first to hear about it. But if you’re interested in the last spots for Puglia in April or Umbria in May, just send me an email.
But in the meantime there are still spaces for 2021 (although some of those weeks are almost full as well). Send me an email for information about all of our tours in 2021 to Sicily, Umbria and Puglia
A lot of people ask about bringing children on our week long tours. Sorry to say, for various reasons, the weeks are adults only. But of course we love kids and firmly believe that they should be eating as adventurously as their parents! And for this Sophie's day long market tours in Rome are perfect. See her website, or else send her an email to find out the details.
Where I've Been
Sophie, Domenico and I headed to Abruzzo at the beginning of December. I’d been meaning to go forever, but last year at this same time, we actually got snowed out. The main reason for the trip was to visit Sextantio, the fabulous hotel set within an abandoned village in the middle of nowhere. The hotel was started by a Danish man about 12 years ago, and was really one of the first of its kind. In Italian this is called albergo diffuso, and means that the rooms are scattered throughout the village, in different buildings. If this sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve spoken about the sister hotel in Matera, and stayed there, in the past.
I absolutely fell in love with this special place. After stopping in Sulmona on the way up, we arrived just as the sun was setting. It was freezing cold, which made the rooms, with fires lit, that much cozier. I’ll be writing about our weekend there in more detail, but basically we ate, hiked, explored, drove around and just enjoyed the extraordinary scenery. Which, by the time we left, was dusted with snow. (see my Facebook post for photos)
And yes, I’m currently working on 2 tours there for 2021!
Christmas was in Bari, with Nonna. Since Nonna can’t really leave the house anymore, we had all our meals at home. Which meant a lot of cooking. Christmas Eve dinner was all the fishes, including a really good Riso, Patate e Cozze that my brother in law brought. Christmas Day I roasted a stuffed and boned capon, and of course there was tortellini in brodo.
New Year’s, as I’ve mentioned, was pure bliss at Saturnia. We opted to stay in the Terme hotel, but there are certainly less expensive options in the area where you can stay, and still visit the hot springs for the day. We loved it! Soaking in a hot pool to ring in the new year is the way to go in my opinion. Again, stay tuned on the blog for a post with all the details.
What I'm Reading
Did you know there was a cookie war going on in Italy?
Researchers have discovered what I've long known: looking at art makes you feel better (and live longer!)
A beautifully poetic essay from my friend Alice Feiring (the high priestess of natural wine) on the current nature of natural wines.
I loved this article on learning to write to communicate our voice, not to just follow rules.
I just finished Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House and absolutely loved it.
Currently reading Elizabeth Strout’s Olive, Again. It’s beautiful and makes me want to go watch Olive Kitteridge, which I somehow never got to.
Are you, by any chance, wondering how doomed Pompeiians dined? Early next year you can eat just like them, at a fancy restaurant in London.
If, like many people I know, you are all about eating less meat, then you'll love Melissa Clark's latest series of recipes. (And her newest video is great!)
And just in case you were wondering (SO many people wrote me asking) No. That is not Sophie in the photo of this article on the pasta ladies of Bari. Although I do have the exact same photo of Sophie walking down that same street about a million times in case anyone is interested.
What I'm Eating
As I said, we’re eating less this month, but that doesn’t mean we’re not eating. What it does mean is a lot of vegetables and legumes, and this naturally leads to soup.
Here are a few of my favourites:
While I usually love regular minestrone, I much prefer this all green version.
I could actually eat some version of lentil soup everyday. Here is a pretty basic version, as well as this one which is more like dal. .
This Cauliflower soup couldn’t be easier, and this version, which adds Jerusalem artichokes, is nuttier.
If you still have turkey broth hanging out in your freezer, use it for this cabbage potato soup.
And now I'm going out for a walk. Because 10,000 steps a day is not going to happen without me actually leaving the house.
x,Elizabeth
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